Jabra Move Wireless

The Jabra Move Wireless tries to prove that fitness gurus and couch potatoes have a surprising amount in common. Being the certified couch potato that I am, I too enjoy the same things about this sporty set of on ear Bluetooth headphones that a jogger would: the lightweight feel, impressive performance and low price.

(Update: The price of the Jabra Move Wireless has dropped down to around $59.99/£54.99 during sales periods, so we've given this review a bit of a tweak.)

With a launch price of $99 (£79, AU$126), the Move Wireless come out swinging at the budget-friendly end of the market. I have a feeling that Jabra is onto something very special here, but can it beat out the competition?

Design

Sport courses through the Move Wireless's proverbial veins. The energetic flavor - the review sample sent to TechRadar is Jabra's Cobalt blue color - is supported by a lightweight, flexible and minimalistic design.

Starting things off, a black and blue, dirt-resistant mesh fabric coats the headband. The fabric feels breathable and there's just enough padding there to keep the lightweight Move Wireless from nestling down into your hair. The stainless steel spine offers durability while remaining flexible to an incredible degree.

Stainless steel continues down to the sides. Tucked flush into the middle of each sidearm is a flat, cobalt-accented cable stretching into the earcups. The headband offers flexibility as its surprise feature, but there's just not much to see on the sidearms.

At the point of articulation with the earcups, things can twist around a bit, but the Move Wireless doesn't fold up. At it's most compact, it can only reduce in size to the smallest noggin adjustment.

Each earcup is coated in a seamless piece of bold, blue matte-textured plastic and are shaped like a recognizable cone speaker. Though there is an indication as to which ear goes in which cup, it doesn't affect the fit at all, only the location of the controls.

The power switch that doubles for Bluetooth discovery is located on the right earcup. Here, you'll also find the micro USB port for charging. Moving onto the left, a 3.5mm input rests on the bottom of the earcup for wired listening in the case that the battery zaps out. The primary controls also exist here with the multifunction button, which covers the play and pause functions, voice control and a gamut of basic phone controls. Also, the volume rocker doubles as navigation to skip and backtrack to a previous song with a longer hold of each button.

The Move Wireless has appeal for minimalists; its mesh fabric and lightweight build are features that add to its "set it and forget it" metropolitan design. But how does it sound?

Performance

The Jabra Move Wireless has no issues strutting its fashionable, cobalt blue-splashed design, but good looks aren't worth much if its performance can't stack up. Thankfully, these headphones provide wholesome sound, a handful of features and stellar battery life inside of a featherweight package.

Don't let the small frame of the Jabra Move Wireless fool you: these on ear headphones feature little speakers inside of the earcups that are capable of surprising sound performance. "Percolator" by the technically-impressive band Stereolab is all there. The sharp, punchy bass pushes through the song's barrage of mids and highs, which come through with grace as well to present a full sound. Another example showcasing the sound performance capabilities of these $99 headphones is the atmospheric "Infiltration" by Trifonic.

While sound performance may have been the biggest shocker with the Jabra Move Wireless, my second favorite feature is how lightweight they are. Sure, I noticed them on my head. But after placing them on my head and around my ears, I sometimes forgot I was wearing them.

The battery life is strong, easily reaching its advertised 8 hour duration for talk - or in my case, mostly listening to music - and lasting for numerous days on standby before needing a quick recharge.

Call quality is crisp and the microphone picks up my voice at a quiet volume. Bluetooth connectivity is a snap, pairing with my phone just seconds after powering on and remaining tethered up to about 25 feet before I encounter some fuzz.

The padding of the Jabra Move Wireless don't offer much in the way of noise isolation, so leakage will be encountered. Make sure you're not satisfying your guilty pleasure for Taylor Swift too loudly, or face the everlasting shame of your friends/colleagues/family/pets. On the upside, the lack of noise isolation is a perk if you're physically active. It will keep you out of harm's way, as you'll hear what's coming ahead.

We liked

A hundred bucks doesn't always net you the goods it should, but with the Jabra Move Wireless, you're getting every dollar's worth.

This is a killer price point for these lightweight and appealing wireless headphones with a surprising knack for great sound performance.

We disliked

There's not much wrong happening with these headphones, so I'm nitpicking here. The noise leakage could be an issue for some, especially heavy users of public transit.

On a related note, the lack of noise isolation might see you pumping up the volume to drown out the din of crowded subway car or bus.

Final verdict

The Jabra Move Wireless may be a budget buy, but don't let that fool you: this set of on ear Bluetooth headphones is nothing but an all-around stellar product. From the fun and edgy design to excellent performance, these cans come recommended for anyone interested in wireless on the cheap.

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